25 feb 2017

The Israeli municipal authority in Occupied Jerusalem plans to seize a large tract of Palestinian land on Mount of Azzeitun (Olives) to carry out a touristic park.
According to a report published by Iroshalim newspaper, a master plan for the park was submitted recently to the district planning and building committee in Occupied Jerusalem to obtain approval.
The local residents in Azzeitun area, however, are deprived of using the land where the park project would take place for building homes or establishing projects for their own benefit.
The new project will be 6.3 kilometers long and extend to the Hebrew University on al-Masharif (Scopus) Mount.
It will overlook the Old City of Jerusalem and include roads, bistros, public toilets, an information center, a souvenir store, a parking lot and other structures.
Israel seeks to carry out many Judaization plans in Jerusalem as part of its effort to change the historical Arab character and identity of the city.
According to a report published by Iroshalim newspaper, a master plan for the park was submitted recently to the district planning and building committee in Occupied Jerusalem to obtain approval.
The local residents in Azzeitun area, however, are deprived of using the land where the park project would take place for building homes or establishing projects for their own benefit.
The new project will be 6.3 kilometers long and extend to the Hebrew University on al-Masharif (Scopus) Mount.
It will overlook the Old City of Jerusalem and include roads, bistros, public toilets, an information center, a souvenir store, a parking lot and other structures.
Israel seeks to carry out many Judaization plans in Jerusalem as part of its effort to change the historical Arab character and identity of the city.
24 feb 2017

Jewish settlers under military protection have continued to bulldoze vast tracts of land in Wadi Qana area, west of Deir Istiya town in Salfit province, in order to build more housing units and infrastructures for their settlements.
Eyewitnesses told the Palestinian Information Center (PIC) that the bulldozing activities were still taking place inside and outside the boundaries of Yakir settlement and Havat Yair outpost.
They added that Wadi Qana is exposed to escalating settlement expansion despite the fact that the Israeli occupation authority considers the area a natural reserve.
Farmers from Deir Istiya town always complain that the Israeli army does not allow them to cultivate their own lands in Wadi Qana at the pretext it is a natural reserve. However, it allows the construction of new housing units, roads and infrastructure for the setters there.
Eyewitnesses told the Palestinian Information Center (PIC) that the bulldozing activities were still taking place inside and outside the boundaries of Yakir settlement and Havat Yair outpost.
They added that Wadi Qana is exposed to escalating settlement expansion despite the fact that the Israeli occupation authority considers the area a natural reserve.
Farmers from Deir Istiya town always complain that the Israeli army does not allow them to cultivate their own lands in Wadi Qana at the pretext it is a natural reserve. However, it allows the construction of new housing units, roads and infrastructure for the setters there.
23 feb 2017

Israeli soldiers invaded, Wednesday, several residential communities in Masafer Yatta area, south of the southern West Bank city of Hebron, and delivered demolition orders targeting a school, residential sheds and tents, barns, and a water well.
Rateb al-Jabour, the coordinator of the Popular and National Committees in the southern part of the occupied West Bank, said the soldiers placed the demolition orders on the ground near the targeted buildings and structures.
He added that the soldiers also photographed the structures from several directions, and that the orders only grant the residents three days to file appeals, which doesn’t give them enough time, especially due to the weekend.
Jabour said the structures are owned by the families of Abu ‘Arram, Abu Sabha, al-Hamamda, an-Najajra along with several other families.
In addition, the soldiers demolished a 400 cubic-meters well, owned by an-Najajra family, in in Khashm ad-Daraj area.
Rateb al-Jabour, the coordinator of the Popular and National Committees in the southern part of the occupied West Bank, said the soldiers placed the demolition orders on the ground near the targeted buildings and structures.
He added that the soldiers also photographed the structures from several directions, and that the orders only grant the residents three days to file appeals, which doesn’t give them enough time, especially due to the weekend.
Jabour said the structures are owned by the families of Abu ‘Arram, Abu Sabha, al-Hamamda, an-Najajra along with several other families.
In addition, the soldiers demolished a 400 cubic-meters well, owned by an-Najajra family, in in Khashm ad-Daraj area.

The Israeli Supreme Court approved on Thursday the closure of an elementary school in Occupied Jerusalem claiming that its curriculums incite against Israel.
The Israeli Ministry of Education and police closed al-Nukhba school which has 220 students enrolled in its classes, claiming that their founders support Hamas Movement and its curriculums incite against Israel, according to Israeli TV channel 2.
The Israeli Ministry of Education, according to channel 2, issued a closure order for the school, which was handed to its headmaster, Loai Bkairat, who refused the order and filed a complaint to the Israeli police. However, the headmaster was arrested on Thursday for investigation but was released later with certain conditions.
For its part, the school administration described this order as unjustified, and said, “We will fight as long as we can in order to reverse this unjust decision which aims at displacing students and destroying their school which received all temporary licenses at the beginning of the school year”.
Naftali Bennett, the Israeli Minister of Education, threatened to close any school that “incites against Israel”.
The Israeli Ministry of Education and police closed al-Nukhba school which has 220 students enrolled in its classes, claiming that their founders support Hamas Movement and its curriculums incite against Israel, according to Israeli TV channel 2.
The Israeli Ministry of Education, according to channel 2, issued a closure order for the school, which was handed to its headmaster, Loai Bkairat, who refused the order and filed a complaint to the Israeli police. However, the headmaster was arrested on Thursday for investigation but was released later with certain conditions.
For its part, the school administration described this order as unjustified, and said, “We will fight as long as we can in order to reverse this unjust decision which aims at displacing students and destroying their school which received all temporary licenses at the beginning of the school year”.
Naftali Bennett, the Israeli Minister of Education, threatened to close any school that “incites against Israel”.

The Israeli Occupation Authorities (IOA) demolished Thursday morning a number of water wells and mobile houses east of Yatta town, southeast of al-Khalil.
The local activist Rateb Jabour affirmed that Israeli occupation forces stormed the area and started demolishing a number of Palestinian-owned agricultural facilities.
A number of neighboring towns were also raided by the IOF soldiers who delivered 30 demolition orders to local citizens, he added.
He said that Israeli forces threatened to demolish the notified facilities within three days.
Jabour pointed out that Israeli demolition policy aims at taking control over 55,000 dunums east of Yatta town for settlement expansion.
The local activist Rateb Jabour affirmed that Israeli occupation forces stormed the area and started demolishing a number of Palestinian-owned agricultural facilities.
A number of neighboring towns were also raided by the IOF soldiers who delivered 30 demolition orders to local citizens, he added.
He said that Israeli forces threatened to demolish the notified facilities within three days.
Jabour pointed out that Israeli demolition policy aims at taking control over 55,000 dunums east of Yatta town for settlement expansion.

Israeli bulldozers on Thursday morning leveled Palestinian lands in western Salfit province in favor of illegal settlement activity.
Palestinian farmers in Qarawat Bani Hassan and Deir Istiya, to the west of Salift, said the Israeli bulldozers have been leveling their land lots in an attempt to expand the adjacent Hafat Yair illegal settlement outpost.
The Israeli forces and settlers declared the razed area a nature reserve, preventing Palestinians from growing crops or reclaiming their private lands.
“The Israeli occupation authorities have made use of the nature reserve pretext not to protect nature, as it might seem upon first glance, but rather to grab more land in favor of illegal settlement expansion, as has been the case with Hafat Yair illegal outpost,” Researcher Khaled Maali warned.
Maali added that the occupation authorities and settlers have been doing harm to the ecological system and damaging Salfit’s fauna and flora by uprooting olive trees and razing pastoral land as they paved the way for the construction of more illegal homes in the area.
Palestinian farmers in Qarawat Bani Hassan and Deir Istiya, to the west of Salift, said the Israeli bulldozers have been leveling their land lots in an attempt to expand the adjacent Hafat Yair illegal settlement outpost.
The Israeli forces and settlers declared the razed area a nature reserve, preventing Palestinians from growing crops or reclaiming their private lands.
“The Israeli occupation authorities have made use of the nature reserve pretext not to protect nature, as it might seem upon first glance, but rather to grab more land in favor of illegal settlement expansion, as has been the case with Hafat Yair illegal outpost,” Researcher Khaled Maali warned.
Maali added that the occupation authorities and settlers have been doing harm to the ecological system and damaging Salfit’s fauna and flora by uprooting olive trees and razing pastoral land as they paved the way for the construction of more illegal homes in the area.

The Israeli High Court authorized, Thursday, the demolition of the family home of Fadi Ahmad al-Qanbar, who was killed six weeks ago, after ramming and killing four Israeli soldiers in Jerusalem.
The court said that the demolition was an “acceptable punishment,” and alleged that al-Qanbar family “knew about his intentions before he carried out the attack.”
Fadi al-Qanbar, 20, was a former political prisoner from Jabal al-Mokabber, in occupied Jerusalem; he was killed on January 08, 2017, after ramming Israeli soldiers with his truck, killing four, and wounding two others.
The four Israelis who were killed in the incident have been identified as Yael Yekutiel, 20, from Givataiym east of Tel Aviv, Shir Hajaj, 22, from Ma’ale Adumim colony in the occupied West Bank, Shira Tzur, 20, from Haifa, and Erez Orbach, 20, from Alon Shvut colony, southwest of occupied Jerusalem.
The court said that the demolition was an “acceptable punishment,” and alleged that al-Qanbar family “knew about his intentions before he carried out the attack.”
Fadi al-Qanbar, 20, was a former political prisoner from Jabal al-Mokabber, in occupied Jerusalem; he was killed on January 08, 2017, after ramming Israeli soldiers with his truck, killing four, and wounding two others.
The four Israelis who were killed in the incident have been identified as Yael Yekutiel, 20, from Givataiym east of Tel Aviv, Shir Hajaj, 22, from Ma’ale Adumim colony in the occupied West Bank, Shira Tzur, 20, from Haifa, and Erez Orbach, 20, from Alon Shvut colony, southwest of occupied Jerusalem.
22 feb 2017

The Israeli occupation bulldozers on Wednesday morning leveled Palestinian cultivated lands and uprooted olive trees and almonds in Bethlehem’s southern town of al-Khader.
Coordinator for the popular anti-settlement committee in al-Khader, Ahmed Salah, said the Israeli occupation army has been leveling Palestinian lands in an attempt to establish an access road leading to the Hatamar illegal outpost, built on Palestinian lands in the area.
The targeted land tracts reportedly belong to the Palestinian citizen Issa Salah and cover an area of three dunums, mostly planted with olive trees and almonds dating back to over 30 years.
The activist added that the Israeli forces destroyed a penthouse covering 20 square meters and a stone wall set up decades ago in the area.
Coordinator for the popular anti-settlement committee in al-Khader, Ahmed Salah, said the Israeli occupation army has been leveling Palestinian lands in an attempt to establish an access road leading to the Hatamar illegal outpost, built on Palestinian lands in the area.
The targeted land tracts reportedly belong to the Palestinian citizen Issa Salah and cover an area of three dunums, mostly planted with olive trees and almonds dating back to over 30 years.
The activist added that the Israeli forces destroyed a penthouse covering 20 square meters and a stone wall set up decades ago in the area.

Groups of Israeli settlers stormed Wednesday morning a number of Palestinian villages west of Salfit accompanied with a number of bulldozers and carried out razing operations.
Eyewitnesses affirmed to the PIC reporter that the bulldozers leveld Palestinian lands in Bruqin town with the aim of expanding a settlement road.
Similar razing operations were carried out in Deir Ballout town aiming to expand Leshem settlement, while Israeli bulldozers leveled Palestinian lands in Wadi Qana town to expand Yakir settlement.
Razing operations were also reported in Masha town as a prelude to establish a new settlement.
The local activist Khaled Maali pointed out that Israeli razing operations have been notably escalated over the past period in total violation to international law.
Eyewitnesses affirmed to the PIC reporter that the bulldozers leveld Palestinian lands in Bruqin town with the aim of expanding a settlement road.
Similar razing operations were carried out in Deir Ballout town aiming to expand Leshem settlement, while Israeli bulldozers leveled Palestinian lands in Wadi Qana town to expand Yakir settlement.
Razing operations were also reported in Masha town as a prelude to establish a new settlement.
The local activist Khaled Maali pointed out that Israeli razing operations have been notably escalated over the past period in total violation to international law.

Israeli bulldozers demolished Wednesday morning a Palestinian facility in Beit Hanina town north of occupied Jerusalem under the pretext of being built without permit.
Local sources affirmed that Israeli municipal crews stormed the town accompanied with a number of bulldozers under the protection of Israeli police and surrounded the house of Loay Abu Rmouz early today.
The municipal crews have forcibly evacuated the house before the demolition process, the sources added.
Seven family members, including children, become homeless after the demolition of their 130-square-meter house.
Since the beginning of 2017, nearly 47 Palestinian facilities were demolished by Israeli forces in occupied Jerusalem while seven others were self-demolished.
Meanwhile, 150 demolition orders were issued under the pretext of being built without permit during the same reported period.
Local sources affirmed that Israeli municipal crews stormed the town accompanied with a number of bulldozers under the protection of Israeli police and surrounded the house of Loay Abu Rmouz early today.
The municipal crews have forcibly evacuated the house before the demolition process, the sources added.
Seven family members, including children, become homeless after the demolition of their 130-square-meter house.
Since the beginning of 2017, nearly 47 Palestinian facilities were demolished by Israeli forces in occupied Jerusalem while seven others were self-demolished.
Meanwhile, 150 demolition orders were issued under the pretext of being built without permit during the same reported period.